Thursday, April 11, 2013

Parkland Dedication Deputation April 9, 2013 by Eileen Liasi



Parkland Dedication Deputation April 9, 2013 by Eileen Liasi                                                                                                                                                                                                            
Dear Council Member,

I don't believe in creating different, reduced or graduated parkland dedication standards for high density areas, not for centres or for corridors, nor do I believe in cash in lieu for this commodity. How can you put a price on fresh air, sunshine and green space?  People are people no matter where they live. The people who live in high density areas deserve just as much fresh air, sunshine and grass beneath their feet as do people who live in low density areas. In fact they may very well require more as they likely have very limited balcony space, ground space which is urban concrete and for those living on the north side of buildings and in the shadow of other buildings they likely receive little if any sunshine. To deprive this population of the quality of life their fair share of these factors provide is inhuman.

I don't believe the City will not be able to achieve urban structure without these reductions. We have enough incentives in place already to achieve urban structure. This is obviously the development industry pushing for these reductions so they are able to reduce their costs and increase their profits. The developers will not be living in these units so what do they care. They have their mansions set in beautiful parkland settings where you can't see the house for the trees and where they have ample access to fresh air and sunshine. Yet they want to deprive ordinary folk of their quality of life. 

People should not have to use their cars or take transit to get to green space. Parks should be within a reasonable walking distance for everyone. To purchase more suburban land with urban cash-in-lieu only makes the distribution of parkland more unequal, less available for use by urban dwellers and provides parkland for suburbanites which has been paid for by urban dwellers. How fair is that? 

Great cities of the world have great parks. Let's put parks for people instead of casinos for gamblers and arenas for millionaires and billionaires in our public spaces.

Eileen Liasi                                                                                                                                                                                                            

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